College Volleyball
Saint Peter's College 3, Rider University 0
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match
LAWRENCEVILLE-Despite 10 kills and six assists from senior Brittany Hayes (Mitchellville, Md./Elizabeth Seton), the Rider University volleyball team lost its 11th match in a row, falling to Saint Peter's in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Saturday afternoon.
Saint Peter's (8-19, 5-10 MAAC) won in straight sets 25-23, 25-23, 26-24.
Senior Amy Jeary (Depew, N.Y./St. Mary's) had a match-high 24 digs, leading four Broncs with 'double-digits' in digs.
Also for Rider, junior Elyse Grassmuck (San Antonio, Texas/La Vernia) had 13 digs and six kills with junior Amanda Piccolini (St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville) adding 30 assists for Rider (3-23, 1-14 MAAC).
"Thank goodness Elyse is on our team," said head coach Emily Ahlquist. "I thought that she played great switching positions and paying attention to details. I am frustrated because we were back on our home court (Alumni Gym) and we did not step up."
The Broncs played in Alumni Gym for the first time in two months after a flood damaged the gym floor in late August. Rider had used a temporary sport court in the Student Recreation Center adjacent to Alumni Gym for its home matches.
"We didn't pay attention to the small details," Ahlquist added. "We also didn't take advantage of the opportunities that Saint Peter's gave us."
The Peahens defeated Rider 3-0 on October 4 in Jersey City and have won 19 of the 31 matches in the all-time series including the last 10 in a row.
The Peahens started the match on an 8-0 run. Trailing 21-14, Rider mounted a comeback with a 9-3 run to get within one (24-23) before a Saint Peter's kill ended the set.
"We started out really slow when normally we start out fast," Ahlquist said about the first set. "I was very proud of the players even though we started slow. They still competed and still fought. It just was not our day."
Set two was more of a back and forth battle. Tied at 11, Saint Peter's won five of the next six points before the Broncs tied the score at 16 on a Hayes kill and three Peahen errors. Trailing 21-18, Rider used three kills to get within one (24-23) before an attack error ended the set. The set featured eight ties and two lead changes.
Trailing 20-13 in the third set, Rider used four Peahen errors to mount a 7-0 run to tie the set at 20. The teams traded the next eight points and tied at 24, the Peahens used kill and Rider attack error to end the match with its third two-point set win. The final set had eight ties and four lead changes and overall, the match had 16 ties and six lead changes.
Rider travels to Iona for a MAAC match on Sunday.
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